»Hackney Council has made a U-turn on parking restrictions due to be introduced in Stoke Newington after it admitted mistakes had been made.

More than 63 per cent of residents opposed plans for a controlled parking scheme to be implemented in streets around Rectory Road when a consultation was carried out last March.

The consultation period was also reduced from six weeks to four – a departure from standard practice.

Despite this, the council passed a motion to bring in a CPZ in the area in February.

Outraged residents took a deputation to a council meeting in January with a petition containing 300 signatures and demanded a review.

In a letter dated February 20 which was sent to resident Garry Malcolm, who helped lead the campaign, a solicitor from Hackney Council confirmed that the council would not be proceeding with the current process.

The letter admitted that the solicitor had found “deviation from the council’s parking and enforcement plan when the initial consultation period was reduced”.

Mr Malcolm said: “Only after our community had spent almost a year fighting, submitting petitions, sending a delegation followed by a deputation, sending hundreds of emails and threatening legal action, were we able to finally force the council into accepting that they had carried out an unfair and biased consultation.

“Even now the council is attempting to carry out yet another CPZ without exploring alternatives such as re-opening three very large local council car parks which would save the council and residents over £20,000 per year in running costs.”

Scrapped

Graphic designer Paul Sinclair, of Norcott Road, who also helped lead the campaign, said: “The council now acknowledges that such was their rush to try to implement a CPZ in the Rectory Road area, they breached some of their own policies, and have scrapped the entire consultation from last year.

“Despite this, they still seem determined to try again even though the consultation in 2012 clearly demonstrated that the majority was against it.”

Cllr Ian Sharer, who introduced the deputation against the CPZ, stated on the Hackney Liberal Democrats website: “Whether this was an oversight or something more sinister, it is clear that the consultation was highly unsatisfactory and this has left residents feeling short-changed.”

Cllr Feryal Demirci, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “To ensure residents are happy with the consultation process we will be running it again. We’ll be contacting residents soon.”

According to the council’s budget and tax report, new CPZs have boosted income.